We enjoyed our cruise on Balmoral visiting Brest, Honfleur, Rouen, Bordeaux and Bilbao. The staff are really customer focused and seem to enjoy their work. Food was good in all the eateries we tried. Evening entertainment was generally good , the solo guest appearances were excellent, especially Martin Daniels. The quality and value of some of the excursions were varied. If you are able to, depending on the port, it might be best to go ashore and do your own thing. All in all a good cruise. Well done Fred Olsen and all the team. Philip Thompson. Canterbury.
Balmoral is a hidden gem in cruise ships wpuld love to take a cruise with her p.s My dad helped make the carpets that were fitted into her when he worked at Brintons
Couldn't agree more she's certainly a special ship! Oh wow that's amazing, what a lovely family connection you have :) Hope you get to sail on her soon ❤️
Agree. My wife and i went on this ship when it was called the Crown Odyssey for Orient Lines. The food then was 5-star and most guests were rich Americans! Did your Dad work on the original ship?
I sailed on Balmoral in July/August from Rosyth on Cruise to Norwegian Fjords. Great ship in every sense. We also enjoyed the James Bond singing in the Observation Lounge.
We were on the Borealis fairly recently and will certainly vouch for the food quality. Every meal had something that made me say "ooh... now that's good." Meal-time on P&O in the last few cruises we've been with them, for the MDR and buffet at least, have been more of a "Oh... well, I guess at least I'm not hungry anymore..."
Recently came off my first Fred cruise. I was on Bolette which is a recent addition but has obviously had a complete refurb as she was immaculate! The team on board were exceptional. One thing O felt once aboard is that I did not feel that Fred were 'Nickel & Diming' me. everything was of a really reasonable price, including the drinks package at just £25 per day (Caompared to P&O at £40 and others even more).
I was on Balmoral in December and had a fabulous time visiting Hamburg, Copenhagen and Oslo. I’ve just returned from the Bolette, which was also lovely. Both ships used digital photograph galleries where you searched and chose electronically. The food was incredible value for money. A great range of cocktails too. Fred Olsen is one of the few companies that offer dance hosts too.
Great video Matthew. We've just been on our first Fred Olsen cruise on Bolette and I loved the cruiseline. There's another itinerary we fancy and it's on Balmoral so it's been good to see the similarities and differences between the ships. Thank you!
Great video Matthew. We're due to go on a Balmoral cruise and your vid really showed what to expect on the ship very clearly. In fact you answered a couple of questions we couldn't find out else where. Thanks!
Hi Matthew, I've just watched your video of MS Balmoral 😀 I've just been on my very first cruise, which was on MS Bolette and thoroughly enjoyed every moment! I'm booked on MS Balmoral next year, so found your video very interesting, I really liked Bolette. 2026 I'm booked on MS Borealis, so it will be interesting to see what that is like? I enjoyed everything about my cruise, the staff were lovely and very attentive, this was also my first holiday travelling as a solo traveller and I felt really at home ❤
So glad you really enjoyed yourself! She is quite different in comparison to Bolette and Borealis but you'll have the same friendly Fred Olsen crew and you'll have a great time I'm sure!
There were positive experiences during our Fred Olsen Balmorral Fjords holiday, including the (expensive) onshore excursions to the stunning Norwegian scenery, the good choice of on board food and dining, and the high standard of housekeeping in our room by our cabin stewardess. Unfortunately there were many negative experiences for us including; waiting 2 hours for our luggage to be delivered to our room, waiting up to 25 minutes for a drink in various bar areas around the ship, the overall amateur standard of entertainment (namely the live music and shows), dull on-board activities and talks, a charge for drinks room service (we took our own drinks to our room), and a feeling that despite paying a premium for our cruise package (deck 10 suite with balcony), we did not have a premium holiday experience.
Hey there thanks for the feedback! Sorry you didn't enjoy those aspects as much as you expected! Hopefully you fed it back to Fred Olsen as we didn't encounter those issues on our cruise so hopefully it was a blip!
We're a couple in our late 20's so maybe on the younger side of the Fred Olsen demographic. This was a helpful video for us before we chose to book.. we prefer a smaller ship and a slower pace. It looks really calm and cosy which is what we wanted from our first cruise. Thanks mate 👍
Matthew, a young man like you may prefer a bigger and more exciting ship but thanks for showing us Balmoral. I’m interested in the Oriental Tea Room most. I look forward to my cruise on her in 6 months’ time. June
Having sailed on the Balmoral I find whilst accurate to a certain extent we found the ship very tired, the balcony ca Bin we had vibrated so bad we asked to take advantage of the offer fly home if your not happy after three days. They actually then up graded our cabin but took away all the flowers, fruit and water. How cheap can you get. After discussions they were relaxed. Time in port was very short, in one port only 4 hours. The atmosphere was like travelling in a care home, however the crew were pleasant which was the only saving grace on this cruise. Once home we were inundated with brochures from Fred Olsen and it took some time to get them to realise we would never sail with them again or recommend them to anyone.
I think this review is a little harsh, admittedly though if you do not plan ahead the cabins around 7and 8th aft deck around the lift area which im guessing is where you stayed suffer bad vibrations when cruising sometimes, you really don't want to pick a room there.
@@Dan-hq2jsThis ship is in very poor state of repair. As an ex Merchant Navy Officer I am capable of selecting what should be a relaxing cabin. A bit harsh, my comments were watered down. The whole cruise was like a floating care home. The ship stayed very little time in port, and was a complete waste of of money. I do notice that Fred Olsen has replaced the other aging ships in its fleet. The replacements seem to be of similar standard as the old according to a friend who mistakenly booked on one. The best advice is Stay away from these floating care homes .
@@MandolinKen it may be tired in places, its almost 40years old, have you walked around the off limits lower decks and hull underside and inspected them personally? It Was in dry dock in 2019 for an overhaul below the waterline. The ship is full of character compared to Modern cruise ships with the rear tiered open decks. Having just been on board at age 39 myself. It was nothing like you described " floating care home" However one thing that concerned me that did require attention and show its age and harsh conditions the ship has faced on a few occasions since 2009 is the forward ship windows on the exterior of the neptune room promenade deck had all cracked at the bottom of the curved corners, been ground back and welded, some had then obviously failed and had been re welded and fishplated. One of the the Plates has then cracked again. I can see the ship running for another decade yet. Some of us like the contemporary feel of it over the floating block of flats full of children running about for some peace relaxation and room it had its issues but i still think your rewiew is harsh, obviously that is just my opinion based on what my experience is/ Was
We are booked on Balmoral for Viking sites tour in August. Can u confirm that we can breakfast/ lunch on that outside deck from Avon and Spey even if allocated to Ballindalloch ? Is the allocation only for evening meal ?
We enjoyed our cruise on Balmoral visiting Brest, Honfleur, Rouen, Bordeaux and Bilbao.
The staff are really customer focused and seem to enjoy their work.
Food was good in all the eateries we tried.
Evening entertainment was generally good , the solo guest appearances were excellent, especially Martin Daniels.
The quality and value of some of the excursions were varied.
If you are able to, depending on the port, it might be best to go ashore and do your own thing.
All in all a good cruise. Well done Fred Olsen and all the team.
Philip Thompson. Canterbury.
Agree with everything 🚢 She's a fantastic little ship ❤️
Balmoral is a hidden gem in cruise ships wpuld love to take a cruise with her
p.s My dad helped make the carpets that were fitted into her when he worked at Brintons
Couldn't agree more she's certainly a special ship!
Oh wow that's amazing, what a lovely family connection you have :) Hope you get to sail on her soon ❤️
Agree. My wife and i went on this ship when it was called the Crown Odyssey for Orient Lines. The food then was 5-star and most guests were rich Americans!
Did your Dad work on the original ship?
I sailed on Balmoral in July/August from Rosyth on Cruise to Norwegian Fjords. Great ship in every sense. We also enjoyed the James Bond singing in the Observation Lounge.
So glad you enjoyed! Yes it was a lovely performance wasn't it :)
We were on the Borealis fairly recently and will certainly vouch for the food quality. Every meal had something that made me say "ooh... now that's good." Meal-time on P&O in the last few cruises we've been with them, for the MDR and buffet at least, have been more of a "Oh... well, I guess at least I'm not hungry anymore..."
Glad to hear you enjoyed it :)
We sailed on her as NCL Majesty and loved the ship. Great to see she has been upgraded and beautifully done.
This was the NCL crown
She is a beautiful ship inside and out ❤️ Well kept and looked after
Thank you for your review .we go on this ship in Dec .Never been on a ship this small .Looking forward to it .
She's small but plenty to do! Hope you have a great time
@@CruisingWithMatthew we did thank you .Balmoral did not disappoint .
Recently came off my first Fred cruise. I was on Bolette which is a recent addition but has obviously had a complete refurb as she was immaculate! The team on board were exceptional. One thing O felt once aboard is that I did not feel that Fred were 'Nickel & Diming' me. everything was of a really reasonable price, including the drinks package at just £25 per day (Caompared to P&O at £40 and others even more).
Couldn't agree more ❤️
Similar experience. We have been P&Oers for years but the corner cutting plus nickel & dimeing was finally too much.
I was on Balmoral in December and had a fabulous time visiting Hamburg, Copenhagen and Oslo. I’ve just returned from the Bolette, which was also lovely. Both ships used digital photograph galleries where you searched and chose electronically. The food was incredible value for money. A great range of cocktails too. Fred Olsen is one of the few companies that offer dance hosts too.
This video has made me want to sail on thé Balmoral!👌🏻
That's means alot thanks! Hope you get to soon, she's a fabulous ship 🚢
Great video Matthew. We've just been on our first Fred Olsen cruise on Bolette and I loved the cruiseline. There's another itinerary we fancy and it's on Balmoral so it's been good to see the similarities and differences between the ships. Thank you!
Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed Fred Olsen 🚢 Hope you get to go on her as she's really a special ship ❤️
Cheers, Matthew!!
Pleasure 🚢
Great video Matthew. We're due to go on a Balmoral cruise and your vid really showed what to expect on the ship very clearly. In fact you answered a couple of questions we couldn't find out else where. Thanks!
Aw amazing I'm so glad to hear!
Hi Matthew, I've just watched your video of MS Balmoral 😀 I've just been on my very first cruise, which was on MS Bolette and thoroughly enjoyed every moment!
I'm booked on MS Balmoral next year, so found your video very interesting, I really liked Bolette.
2026 I'm booked on MS Borealis, so it will be interesting to see what that is like? I enjoyed everything about my cruise, the staff were lovely and very attentive, this was also my first holiday travelling as a solo traveller and I felt really at home ❤
So glad you really enjoyed yourself! She is quite different in comparison to Bolette and Borealis but you'll have the same friendly Fred Olsen crew and you'll have a great time I'm sure!
There were positive experiences during our Fred Olsen Balmorral Fjords holiday, including the (expensive) onshore excursions to the stunning Norwegian scenery, the good choice of on board food and dining, and the high standard of housekeeping in our room by our cabin stewardess. Unfortunately there were many negative experiences for us including; waiting 2 hours for our luggage to be delivered to our room, waiting up to 25 minutes for a drink in various bar areas around the ship, the overall amateur standard of entertainment (namely the live music and shows), dull on-board activities and talks, a charge for drinks room service (we took our own drinks to our room), and a feeling that despite paying a premium for our cruise package (deck 10 suite with balcony), we did not have a premium holiday experience.
Hey there thanks for the feedback! Sorry you didn't enjoy those aspects as much as you expected! Hopefully you fed it back to Fred Olsen as we didn't encounter those issues on our cruise so hopefully it was a blip!
We're a couple in our late 20's so maybe on the younger side of the Fred Olsen demographic. This was a helpful video for us before we chose to book.. we prefer a smaller ship and a slower pace. It looks really calm and cosy which is what we wanted from our first cruise. Thanks mate 👍
So glad you found it useful! I'm also in my 20s but still had a great time :)
Try P&O's Aurora 👍
You'll still be in the younger side of the demographic once you get into your 50s! 😆
Matthew, a young man like you may prefer a bigger and more exciting ship but thanks for showing us Balmoral. I’m interested in the Oriental Tea Room most. I look forward to my cruise on her in 6 months’ time. June
I absolutely loved Balmoral! It was a great size and really enjoyed it :)
Booking a future cruise on board can give you a 5% discount, so it's definitely worth a look. My wife and I have benefited from it.
Ooh that's good to know, thanks for the information ❤️
Really good and informative video. Thank you. 😀
Thank you so much!
Having sailed on the Balmoral I find whilst accurate to a certain extent we found the ship very tired, the balcony ca
Bin we had vibrated so bad we asked to take advantage of the offer fly home if your not happy after three days. They actually then up graded our cabin but took away all the flowers, fruit and water. How cheap can you get. After discussions they were relaxed. Time in port was very short, in one port only 4 hours. The atmosphere was like travelling in a care home, however the crew were pleasant which was the only saving grace on this cruise. Once home we were inundated with brochures from Fred Olsen and it took some time to get them to realise we would never sail with them again or recommend them to anyone.
Oh no thats not fun at all I'm sorry you didn't have a good experience onboard :(
I think this review is a little harsh, admittedly though if you do not plan ahead the cabins around 7and 8th aft deck around the lift area which im guessing is where you stayed suffer bad vibrations when cruising sometimes, you really don't want to pick a room there.
@@Dan-hq2jsThis ship is in very poor state of repair. As an ex Merchant Navy Officer I am capable of selecting what should be a relaxing cabin. A bit harsh, my comments were watered down. The whole cruise was like a floating care home. The ship stayed very little time in port, and was a complete waste of of money. I do notice that Fred Olsen has replaced the other aging ships in its fleet. The replacements seem to be of similar standard as the old according to a friend who mistakenly booked on one. The best advice is Stay away from these floating care homes .
@@MandolinKen it may be tired in places, its almost 40years old, have you walked around the off limits lower decks and hull underside and inspected them personally? It Was in dry dock in 2019 for an overhaul below the waterline.
The ship is full of character compared to Modern cruise ships with the rear tiered open decks.
Having just been on board at age 39 myself. It was nothing like you described " floating care home"
However one thing that concerned me that did require attention and show its age and harsh conditions the ship has faced on a few occasions since 2009 is the forward ship windows on the exterior of the neptune room promenade deck had all cracked at the bottom of the curved corners, been ground back and welded, some had then obviously failed and had been re welded and fishplated. One of the the Plates has then cracked again.
I can see the ship running for another decade yet. Some of us like the contemporary feel of it over the floating block of flats full of children running about for some peace relaxation and room it had its issues but i still think your rewiew is harsh, obviously that is just my opinion based on what my experience is/ Was
Great info Matthew, we go on the 10 th dec this year . What did you do re your lateral flow test , we would welcome your advice. Thanks Kitty
Really glad you enjoyed! We purchased one and did a non observed test :) Best to check with Fred Olsen directly as guidance changes all the time!
We are booked on Balmoral for Viking sites tour in August. Can u confirm that we can breakfast/ lunch on that outside deck from Avon and Spey even if allocated to Ballindalloch ? Is the allocation only for evening meal ?
You'll have a fantastic time! Yes you can, the allocation is only for evening :)
Great video Matthew but I need your help does the ferry cater for people who need a gluten free diet ?
Yes the cruise line does :)
Next month I am going on the Queen Elizabeth. Really looking forward to going to the Purser's Office. Not this un-nautical Guest Services
Hope you have a great time :)
What does this information has to do with the Balmoral?